NO says ALISON McCONNELL

WALTER SMITH acknowledged that Neil Alexander took the news of his first-team removal badly. He said the player was right to do so and he would have reacted the same had he been in his shoes.

But he didn't offer an explanation of why he arrived at the decision to recall Allan McGregor into the first-team for the opening day of the SPL, sending the message the keeper starts the campaign as his No.1.

Ignoring the reason why McGregor was out in the first place, Alexander has shown the kind of form that makes him deserve the gloves.

There have been no howlers, no big mistakes that have cost Rangers points.

In fact, Alexander has bailed Rangers out on two occasions - the end of last season and the campaign before that.

Smith was right to say he arrived as back-up for McGregor, but if he has not proved he is capable of taking over, he never will which will be a hard one for the affable stopper to stomach. YES says DARRELL KING

IT was hard not to feel sorry for Neil Alexander at the weekend. His body language as he sat slumped on the bench suggested that it had maybe been one rejection too far for the former Ispwich keeper to take.

But for me Walter Smith was right to put Allan McGregor back in goal - because he is the best keeper Rangers have at the club.

Managers have to take harsh decisions. They need to make big calls and Smith has not shirked away from the issue.

Whilst he knows that mental damage will be caused to Alexander, the flip side is that McGregor should take a huge boost from getting the nod to start the season.

He knows he has Smith's faith and should be striving to get back to the form that saw him the best keeper in Scotland not long ago - but he also knows that he cannot afford any more mistakes on or off the pitch with such an able hand as Alexander waiting in the wings.